February gig previews

First gig of the year from Leeds math/post/prog rock specialist promoter Bad Owl, which (intentionally?) pitches Sheffield (Fly On Byrd, Fly On and Gilmore Trail) against Leeds (er..the other two).

Delia Derbyshire Day @ Leeds College of Music – Tue 2

Excellent touring celebration of electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire, featuring a documentary on its subject as well as performances of music inspired by her and her work. Live performances come from The Architects of Rosslyn, Caro C and Daniel Weaver.

John Cooper Clarke @ City Varieties, Leeds – Fri 5

At 67, John Cooper Clarke is a long way from the fevered punk stew of Manchester in the mid 70’s that first propelled him into public view and really he hasn’t changed an awful lot since then. He’s still a stick thin, sharp dressed, wild haired beanpole and even his material has been pretty static for decades, with his last significant collection of new material coming out in 1982 (the album Zip Style Method). No matter, because his lewd and rude stuff is still hilarious and not enough credit is given to the more serious, surreal side of his output (like ‘Psycle Sluts’ and ‘Beesley Street’) which conjure a lividly vivid picture of some kind of real life.

Almost a good cop/bad cop vibe going on here, with the pugilistic punk fisticuffs coming from Kleine Schweine, contrasted with the intellectual pop probings of The Wind-Up Birds. But while the former have been sharpening their live chops with numerous European tours recently, the WUBS have been strangely quiet of late. Wherever your predilections lie, this will be a cracking gig at this underused venue.

Andy French Quintet @ Café Lento, Leeds - Fri 5

Leeds College of Music alumnus Andy French (tenor saxophone) leads this unusual quintet of fellow LCM graduates featuring two guitars (Calvin Travers on electric and Toby Noble on acoustic) with bassist Sam Quintana and drummer Ali Wells holding the centre.

Yorkshire Riffer 4 @ Temple of Boom, Leeds – Sat 6

Like is says on the tin, fourth iteration of this always alive and inventive extreme metal/hardcore all-dayer imprint presents another impeccable line up of 17 bands across two stages all aiming to have you screaming like a loon by the end. Extinction of Mankind headline, but before then the likes of Svalbard, Horsebastard, Live Burial and the excellently named Lugubrious Children will have had a go. Although quite what the metal audience will make of the mad ramblings of Super Luxury is anyone’s guess. Doors are at 1:00pm, first band 1:30pm.

Graham Bonnet @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds – Tue 9

Graham Bonnet’s principle claim to fame is being the voice on 70’s hard rock outfit Rainbow’s massive ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ hit, which every single one of you knows and loves (go on admit it). Since leaving Rainbow, Bonnet has gigged and released material regularly with a variety of lesser bands, and now lives in California, which being born in Skegness must surely have prepared him for….

Dancing Years/Waylor @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds – Wed 10

Launch gig for new EP form the really rather excellent Dancing Years. Finely crafted, intelligent pop songs for people with brains and a broken heart.

Asian Dub Foundation @ Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds – Fri 12

The iconoclastic Asian Dub Foundation are, amazingly, cruising into their third decade of making furious protest music that mashes up punk, rap, hip hop, bhangra and metal styles using traditional Indian and cutting edge electronic instruments. Recent album More Signal, More Noise was essentially a reworking of 2013’s The Signal and The Noise but with the fury and noise turned up to eleven. The band are incendiary live.

US free jazz legend Linda Sharrock brings her current band (In) The Abyssity Of The Grounds (featuring saxophonist Mario Rechtern, singer Theresa Eipeldauer, drummer Didi Kern and Margaret Unknown on guitar, electronics and voice). Sharrock and her late husband, guitarist Sonny, formed a formidable duo in the 60’s and 70’s but she has forged an ongoing career exploring more avant garde composition and performance styles since their divorce, despite suffering a stroke in 2007. This is a rare opportunity to see an artist like Sharrock, particularly in an intimate venue like the Delius. NOTE: the performance begins at 5:00pm.

JUX Festival @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds – Sat 20

Lordy, ANOTHER new festival! This one is the brainchild of Matt Woodward of Galaxians and Michael Ainsley of, er, The Michael Ainsley Band and fittingly for this seemingly coming-at-it-from-different-directions pair, actually seeks to celebrate diversity and difference in music by putting stuff that may not ordinarily occupy the same space in that space (juxtaposition, see?). This is a very good thing indeed. And with stuff like Shift Work, Galaxians (natch), Blood Sport, Makanitza, Milk Crimes, Mi Mye and Game_Program what can possibly go wrong?

Baroness @ Stylus, Leeds University – Fri 26

Highly stylised US progressive metal outfit that make few concessions to genre tropes and enjoy much success despite this. Which is nice. In August 2012 while touring the band coach plunged off a viaduct nearly killing two members of the band and seriously injuring others, so playing here must bring mixed emotions. New album Purple is just out.

Strange Forms Launch Party @ Chunk, Leeds – Sat 27

Billed as a launch party ahead of the full two days proper of Strange Forms 2016 (taking place at Wharf Chambers in Leeds over the weekend of 2 – 3 April) this all dayer is more like a third day that’s somehow become detached from the main event by some five weeks. No matter. With the exception of headliners Falls, who are from North Wales, the line-up features some of the best in math/noise/prog rock (Cattle, Monster Killed By Laser, Azores, Big Love) from the Leeds/Bradford area.

Seven Pieces of Silver @ Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds – Sun 28

A septet led by bassist Paul Baxter play the music of the incomparable Horace Silver. Baxter is assisted by James Lancaster on trumpet, Stuart Macdonald on also and baritone saxophones, John Mckillup on tenor sax, Matt Ball on trombone, Andrzej Baranek on piano and Paul Smith on drums. NOTE: afternoon gig, start time 1:30pm.